Pole or pile pulling device



Patented June 6, 1939 PATENT OFFICE POLE OR- PILE PULLING DEVICE SamuelG. Neff, Fort Peck, Mont.

Application March 14,

2 Claims.

(Granted under the act of March amended April 30,

This invention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured andused by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without thepayment to me of any royalty thereon.

The purpose of my invention is to facilitate the pulling of poles,piling, etc., firmly imbedded in earth, by providing a mechanical devicefor connecting the pull cable to the upper end of the poles or piles insuch manner that it cannot slip or pull loose; this device being soconstructed that it can be easily and quickly attached to and detachedfrom the poles or piles.

One form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, inwhich Figure 1 is an orthographic projection of the device and Figure 2a plan view.

The device consists of three lever arms I mounted on a triangular frame2, of circular section, which frame-acts as axle and fulcrum for theselever arms; each arm I is connected to a gripping jaw 3 by means ofplates 4, jaw pin 5, and cotter pins 6, and fitted at its outer orlifting end with shackle I and shackle stop 8.

Each gripping jaw 3 is segmental in plan and fitted on its inner facewith lugs 9, beveled on their lower sides to form a cutting edge; 7 theouter face of each jaw 3 is fitted with plates 4 welded to it andconnected with lever arm I by means of jaw pin 5; the top of the jawassembly is fitted with a loop or eye I0, rigidly attached, and to thisloop is attached a shackle I I.

The triangular frame 2 serves as a fulcrum or axle for each of the threelever arms I, mounted at the points of the triangle and held in place byshoulders I2 (welded to triangle); it also serves as a mounting or basefor the entire assembly. The joint where the ends of the rod formingframe 2 meet, is welded as shown at I3. It is evident that when theouter ends of lever arms I are rotated upward on axle 2, the jaws 3 mustmove downward and inward, and, conversely, when lever arms I rotatedownward, jaws 3 must move upward and outward; it is also evident thatwhen an upward pulling power is applied to jaws 3 through loop I0, themovement of jaws 3 will be upward and outward.

Jaw pins 5 are made long enough to overhang triangular framel and thusserve as a stop to prevent the jaw assembly from dropping below the topof frame 2. Thus the three lever arms are held in such a position withrelation to each other that their pressure on the pile or pole isequalized.

1938, Serial No. 195,888

3, 1883, as 1928; 370 0. G. 757) In operation, the entire assembly islowered over the pile or pole by three wire cable slings I4, which areattached at their upper ends to the lowering line leading from the boomof the crane, the lifting or pulling line being slacked off during thisperiod. Thus the jaws 3 are held apart to their maximum opening -by theupward pull of slings I4 and the weight of lever arms I, the outer endsof which, of their own weight, tend to rotate downward, thereby drawingthe jaws apart. When the puller has been fitted around the pile or pole,the lowering cable is slacked off, transferring the weight to thelifting cable through the three cable slings I5.

It will be seen that as the weight of the assembly is transferred to thelifting cable through slings I5, the outer ends of lever arms I arepulled upward, thus forcing the jaws 3 inward to grip the pile or pole,and, further, that as pulling or lifting power is applied, this grippingaction increases and forces the lugs 9 to bite into the pile or pole;any further power applied through the lifting cable is used in theoperation of lifting. After the pile or pole has been pulled, it isreleased from the puller by taking up on the lowering line slings I4 andslacking off on the lifting line slings I5, thus causing jaws 3 to openand release the pile or pole.

I claim:

1. A lifting device of the class described comprising an equilateraltriangular frame formed from a circular cross-sectional element, bellcrank levers having interiorly and exteriorly extending lever armsfulcrumed at the intersection of the sides of said triangular frame,gripping elements pivotally connected to the interiorly extending leverarms, and operating slings connected to said gripping elements and tothe exteriorly extending arms of said bell crank levers.

2. A lifting device of the class described comprising an equilateraltriangular frame formed from a circular cross-sectional element, bellcrank levers having interiorly and exteriorly extending lever armsfulcrumed at the vertices of said triangular frame, gripping elementscomprising gripping jaws mounted on bearing plates pivotally connectedto the interiorly extending lever arms, and operating slings connectedto the gripping elements and to the exteriorly extending arms of saidbell crank levers.

SAMUEL G. NEFF.

